KR20170018055A - Systems, methods, and devices for proximity services for multi-carrier capable mobile devices - Google Patents

Abstract

The user equipment (UE) is configured to perform cell selection and camp on the first cell in the first frequency resource. The UE is configured to determine that proximity services are supported in the second frequency resource. The first and second radio frequency resources are within licensed spectra corresponding to one or more mobile communication networks. The UE is configured to initiate device-to-device communication on the second frequency resource and to use the transceiver to transmit the device-to-device message within the second frequency resource. The device-to-device message includes one of a device-to-device discovery message and a device-to-device communication message.

Description

[0001] SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND DEVICES FOR PROXIMITY SERVICES FOR MULTI-CARRIER CAPABLE MOBILE DEVICES FOR MULTI-CARRIERABLE MOBILE DEVICES [0002]

Related application

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 034,705, filed on August 7, 2014, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety under 35 U.S.C. §119 (e) and having Case No. P71242Z.

Technical field

The present disclosure relates to device-to-device communication, and more particularly, to enabling device-to-device communication at a frequency different than the current camping or serving cell frequency.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a communication system consistent with the embodiments disclosed herein.
2 is a schematic diagram illustrating call flow for enabling proximity services consistent with the embodiments disclosed herein.
3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a call flow for enabling proximity services consistent with the embodiments disclosed herein.
4 is a schematic block diagram of a wireless communication device in accordance with the embodiments disclosed herein.
5 is a schematic block diagram of a base station in accordance with the embodiments disclosed herein.
6 is a schematic flow diagram illustrating a method for initiating device-to-device communication consistent with the embodiments disclosed herein.
7 is a schematic flow diagram illustrating a method for providing proximity service related information to a wireless communication device in accordance with embodiments disclosed herein.
8 is a schematic flow diagram illustrating another method for initiating device-to-device communication consistent with the embodiments disclosed herein.
9 is a schematic diagram of a mobile device consistent with the embodiments disclosed herein.

Wireless mobile communication technologies employ various standards and protocols for transmitting data between a base station and a wireless communication device. Wireless communication system standards and protocols include, for example, Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE); Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.16 standard, commonly known to industry groups; And IEEE 802.11 standards commonly known to industry groups as Wi-Fi. In a 3GPP radio access network (RAN) according to LTE, the base station is named Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) Node B (also commonly referred to as evolved Node B, eNodeB, or eNB). A base station can communicate with a wireless communication device, known as a user equipment (UE), in LTE. While the present disclosure is generally described using terms and examples relating to 3GPP systems and standards, the teachings disclosed herein may be applied to any type of wireless network or communication standard.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a communication system 100 that includes a first eNB 102 and a second eNB 104 that provide communication services to a first UE 110 and a second UE 112. [ The eNBs 102 and 104 and the UEs 110 and 112 may be configured to receive radio waves and radio waves configured to transmit and receive signals at one or more frequencies within a licensed radio spectrum and an unlicensed radio spectrum, Lt; / RTI > The eNBs 102 and 104 each provide coverage within the coverage areas 106 and 108, respectively. When in coverage, UEs 110 and 112 can communicate with eNBs 102 and 104 using the Uu air interface on the licensed cellular spectrum. The UEs 110 and 112 may communicate with each other via any intermediate Evolved Packet Core (EPC) as well as through the eNBs 102 and 104. A downlink (DL) transmission (Tx) in an LTE network may be defined as a communication from one of the eNBs 102 and 104 to at least one UE 110 and 112 and an uplink (UL) 110, 112) to one of the eNBs 102, 104. In addition to DL and UL transmissions over the Uu interface, the UEs 110 and 112 may also communicate directly with each other via a direct air interface (denoted by the PC5 interface in FIG. 1). Direct communication between devices, such as UEs 110 and 112, may be accomplished using Proximity Services (ProSe) communication, device-to-device (D2D) communication, side- Is generally known as communication. In D2D, UEs 110 and 112 can communicate with each other directly without routing communications over one of the eNBs 102 and 40 or the core network, as illustrated by the PC5 interface in Fig. In one embodiment, the first eNB 102 in cell 1 communicates using a first frequency f1, while the second eNB 104 communicates using a second frequency f2.

The proximity-based discovery and D2D communication between the devices (UEs) allows them to reduce the load on the core network or RAN, increase data rates due to direct and short communication paths, And social interactions, as well as a number of other functionality, in recent years. In some embodiments, UEs 110 and 112 and eNBs 102 and 104 may be connected to completely different networks operated by different Mobile Network Operators (MNOs).

There are various alternatives for implementing this direct communication path between mobile devices. In one embodiment, the D2D air interface PC 5 may be implemented by some type of short range technology, such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, or by reusing the licensed LTE spectrum, such as the UL spectrum. Also, D2D communications can generally be divided into two parts. The first part is device discovery, whereby UEs 110 and 112 can determine that they are within range and / or are available for D2D communication. Proximity detection may be assisted by the network infrastructure, performed at least partially by the UEs 110 and 112, and / or performed largely independently of the network infrastructure. The second part is a direct communication or D2D data communication between the UEs 110 and 112, which includes a process for establishing actual communication of user or application data as well as a D2D session between the UEs 110 and 112 . D2D communication may or may not be under continuous control of the network. For example, UEs 110 and 112 may not need to have active connections with one of the eNBs 102 and 104 to participate in D2D communications.

Wide area network (WAN) communications such as LTE communication and ProSe communication may operate on the same carrier or different carriers depending on the reception / transmission (Rx / Tx) capabilities of the UE. If the UE has multiple Rx / Tx chains (e.g., the UE is a multi-carrier capable device), then the UE may operate ProSe communication on one frequency that also supports WAN communication on another frequency or frequencies . Thus, the UE may simultaneously maintain both WAN and ProSe communication sessions, or, in one embodiment, may transmit or receive WAN communications while transmitting or receiving ProSe communication.

In the ProSe work item in 3GPP, it is assumed that ProSe is supported in the UL spectrum using frequency division duplexing (FDD) or in the UL subframe (s) in time division duplexing (TDD), and a new interface ([Revised Work Item Description (WID): LTE Device to Device Proximity Services, RP-142043 based on the 3GPP TSG RAN meeting # 66 of 11 December 2014]. This means that Tx and Rx over PC5 occur on a single carrier frequency using the UL spectrum in FDD or the UL subframe in TDD, but the WAN can operate in TDD or FDD mode. In the case of TDD, ProSe Tx / Rx shares the timeslots allocated for WAN UL communication, and for FDD, ProSe Tx / Rx shares the carrier used for WAN UL communication.

There are many WAN-ProSe combinations potentially considered. The first combination is a single carrier WAN-ProSe combination. In this combination, it can be assumed that the WAN and ProSe operate on the same carrier and share spectrum resources. This implies that, for the TDD spectrum, WAN UL, ProSe Tx, and ProSe Rx need to be multiplexed in time. WAN DL and ProSe Tx / Rx are multiplexed in time by default since ProSe operates only in UL subframes. For FDD, there can be a single Rx chain or dual Rx chains. In the case of a single Rx chain, a single Rx chain is used for WAN DL reception and ProSe reception (i.e., one Rx chain is shared for reception on the DL and UL frequencies), thus the UE can perform WAN DL communications and ProSe communication Can not be received at the same time. For example, WAN DL Rx and ProSe Rx are multiplexed in separate non-overlapping timeslots. For dual Rx chains, the UE is provided with additional Rx chains (baseband and radio frequency (RF)) that can be used for ProSe reception. With this additional Rx chain, the UE can simultaneously receive WAN DL Tx and ProSe Tx carried on a WAN UL carrier. For example, WAN DL and ProSe Rx can be received simultaneously in one time slot.

The second WAN-ProSe combination is a multi-carrier WAN-ProSe combination (e.g., carrier aggregation (CA)). In this combination, it can be assumed that the WAN operates on one or more component carriers and ProSe operates on one of the component carriers. The component carriers for ProSe may or may not be part of WAN component carriers. The two main scenarios include the use of dedicated ProSe carriers or the use of shared WAN and ProSe carriers in the context of WAN-ProSecAs combinations. Dedicated ProSe Carrier In a WAN-ProSe CA scenario, a first component carrier (CC1) is configured for WAN communication and a second component carrier (CC2) is used for ProSe communication. In this case, the dual radio receiver uses the eNB-UE air interface on CC1 for WAN communication and the UE-UE air interface on CC2 for direct communication. From a system point of view, note that CC2 can also be used for WAN communication, but from a given UE perspective, WAN transmission and reception on CC2 is off.

In a shared WAN and ProSe carrier WAN-ProSe CA scenario, a primary cell (PCell) WAN operating on a component carrier CC1 may be configured only for WAN communication, a secondary cell (SCell) WAN operating on a component carrier CC2, And ProSe. In this case, the SCell operation is, in one embodiment, similar to the single carrier WAN-ProSe. When a dual Rx chain UE is used in a shared WAN and ProSe carrier WAN-ProSe carrier aggregation scenario, WAN DL communications on CC2 and ProSe Rx communications on CC2 may be multiplexed in separate non-overlapping timeslots . Since only one WAN DL on PCell and one ProSe Rx or WAN DL on SCell can be received simultaneously (one WAN DL on PCell + one WAN DL or one ProSe Rx on SCell for carrier aggregation) Non-overlapping timeslots may be required. Another limitation is that WAN UL on PCell and ProSe Tx communication on SCell (i.e., one ProSe Tx on one WAN UL + SCell on PCell for carrier aggregation) to avoid simultaneous transmissions on multiple carriers And may need to be multiplexed in separate non-overlapping timeslots. The 3GPP RAN1 working assumption is that this case is not supported if the UE is capable of 2 DL carrier aggregation (without ProSe operation).

When a triple Rx chain UE is used in shared WAN and ProSe carrier WAN-ProSe carrier aggregation scenarios, WAN DL communications on PCell, WAN DL on SCell, and ProSe Rx communications on SCell can be received simultaneously Two full WAN DL communications over PCell and SCell + one ProSe Rx over SCell carrier aggregation). This can be assumed to be a special form of triple carrier aggregation. However, the WAN UL communications on the PCell and the ProSe Tx on the SCell can be used to avoid simultaneous transmissions on multiple carriers (i.e., one ProSe Tx on one WAN UL + SCell on PCell) Lt; / RTI >

In view of the foregoing, this disclosure discloses detailed procedures and signaling to enable the UE to support ProSe at a frequency different from the frequency at which the UE is connected for LTE services.

In one embodiment, the UE comprises a transceiver configured to perform cell selection on a first frequency resource that meets a cell selection / reselection criterion and to camp on the cell. If the first frequency does not support ProSe, the UE determines that proximity services are supported in the second frequency resource. In one embodiment, the first and second radio frequency resources may be in licensed spectrums or unlicensed spectrums. The one or more processors are configured to cause the UE to initiate D2D communication on the second frequency resource and to use the transceiver to transmit the D2D message on the second frequency resource. The D2D message includes one of a D2D discovery message and / or a D2D communication message.

Signaling and signaling of UEs or eNBs for operating the WAN and ProSe in different carriers in cases where the UE is in a radio resource control (RRC) idle mode, an RRC access mode, or an SCR to RRC access mode with ProSe The functionality is discussed below. These cases are given for illustrative purposes only. Except as otherwise noted, the exemplary operations, signaling and functionality disclosed in each case may be applied in any other case.

In one embodiment of the first case, the UE may be configured to enable proximity services while the UE is in an RRC idle mode (RRC IDLE) on the cell in the first carrier. For example, a UE may camp on a cell on one frequency carrier f1, but the UE may want to support ProSe on a cell in another frequency carrier f2. It will be possible for the UE to support ProSe on f2, even if the UE is camped on f1, since it is assumed that multiple Rx and Tx chains are possible. For example, the UE may perform side link direct communication while in the RRC idle mode on the cell, or may perform direct communication on the non-PCell cell in the RRC connected mode. As another example, the lower layers may be configured to transmit side link control information in resources represented by cells other than PCell. This may allow the UE to support simultaneous WAN and ProSe communication, or may cause the UE to change cells or frequencies to a cell or frequency that supports ProSe communication.

To know the ProSe resource information, the UE may receive system information from the cell on f2. For ProSe, ProSe-related system information block (SIB) and common radio resource information may be sufficient. If a Mode 2 Tx resource pool (distributed resource allocation mode for ProSe direct communication) or a Type 1 Tx resource pool (distributed resource allocation type for ProSe discovery) is configured, the UE will camp on another cell at f1 It is assumed that it is allowed to enable ProSe transmission on the cell at f2. In the distributed resource allocation mode, the UE selects resources in the configured resource pool without dynamic acknowledgment from the eNB.

However, a ProSe capable cell may indicate that the UE must enter the RRC CONNECTED mode (RRC_CONNECTED) before the UE can perform ProSe transmissions. For example, the UE may be required to enter the RRC access mode to receive appropriate transmission resources. A ProSe capable cell may indicate that one or more of a mode 2 Tx resource pool or a type 1 Tx resource pool is not configured to indicate that an RRC connection mode is required.

If the RRC connection mode is required prior to performing ProSe transmissions, the UE may initiate RRC connection setup at the current serving cell at f1 (first frequency). In one embodiment, after setting up the RRC connection mode, the UE sends UE assistance information indicating that the UE desires to support ProSe on f2 (second frequency). When the serving eNB at f1 receives the UE ancillary information, the eNB may handover the UE from f2 to the corresponding cell. The UE ancillary information may include desired target cell information (e.g., physical cell identifier (ID) and frequency information). In one embodiment, if the cell at f1 and the cell at f2 belong to the same eNB, the eNB may allocate ProSe resources for f2 cells via RRC signaling on the f1 cell. In addition to the indication that the UE desires to support ProSe on f2, the UE may notify the eNB about the frequencies at which the UE may support ProSe in parallel with WAN operation (on the same or different frequencies). This may help the eNB to make a decision to allocate ProSe resources on f2 in parallel with handing over the UE to the cell at f2 or maintaining WAN operation at f1.

If the UE receives a ProSe SIB indicating that an entry into the RRC connection mode is requested from the eNB corresponding to the cell on f2, the UE performs cell reselection and assigns the higher priority of selecting the cell in f2 to f2 . After cell reselection, the UE initiates an RRC connection setup procedure. Cell reselection may cause the UE to select f2 instead of being handed over by a cell on f1.

As described above, the UE may want to use ProSe in the cell on a carrier frequency f2 that is different from the frequency f1 at which it camps on. In one embodiment, the UE receives system information from the cell on f2 to determine how to proceed. To receive system information, the UE needs to select a cell on f2 where it will receive system information. In some embodiments, if the UE camps on a cell on f1, it would be desirable if the cell selected on f2 corresponds to the same eNB that the UE camped on. This may be useful in ensuring that the UE receives radio resource information from the most appropriate cell. In one embodiment, selecting a cell on f2 that corresponds to the same eNB as the cell on f1 is performed between cells of f2 (in a manner similar to the in-frequency cell reselection process it performs on f1 to determine the camped cell) Can be accomplished by a UE performing a frequency reselection process. For example, when the UE is interested in performing proximity service direct communication on a non-serving frequency, it may perform measurements on that frequency for cell selection and frequency re-selection purposes. However, in one embodiment, this in-frequency cell reselection process may impose radio measurement and processing requests on the UE that are undesirable in terms of UE power consumption. Thus, the simplified cell selection process can be applied in some situations. In one embodiment, for example, the UE selects a cell using the best reference signal received power (RSRP) or reference signal reception quality (RSRQ) measurements.

In one embodiment, before the UE camped on f1 can use ProSe on f2, the UE needs to determine that frequency f2 supports ProSe. The UE may determine this by performing a search for different frequencies, selecting cells on each frequency, and reading the system information. However, this can negatively impact processing power requirements and impose unnecessary processing demands on the UE. In one embodiment, to avoid these processing demands, the serving cell on f1 notifies in the broadcast system information that ProSe resources are available on frequency f2. The notification may be a single bit flag in the carrier list within the frequency, or it may be a separate list of frequencies supporting ProSe. The single bit flag may be extended to indicate whether the ProSe resources available on that frequency are for discovery and / or direct communication.

According to one embodiment, FIG. 2 illustrates a call flow for enabling proximity services on a second frequency while UE 110 is in an RRC idle mode on a first frequency. The call flow illustrates exemplary communication between the first eNB 102, the second eNB 104, the first UE 110 and the second UE 112 of FIG. For example, the first eNB 102 may provide communication services at a first frequency, while the second eNB 104 may provide communication services at a second frequency.

The UE 110 receives the SIBs from the eNB 102 at 202 and camps on the first eNB 102 at a first frequency f1 at 204. At 206, the UE 110 performs a cell selection or reselection procedure to select a cell corresponding to the second eNB 104 on the second frequency f2. For example, proximity services may not be available on the first frequency, but are available on the second frequency f2. UE 110 may perform cell selection or reselection at 206 in response to determining that ProSe services are available on f2 and / or that higher layers require direct communication or other proximity services.

At 208, the UE 110 receives the SIB (SIB 18 in the illustrated embodiment). In one embodiment, the SIB 18 includes information about neighbor PLMN IDs. In one embodiment, the SIB 18 includes information about D2D resource allocation for discovery or communication. In one embodiment, the SIB 18 may indicate whether Mode 2 or Type 1 Tx resource pool allocations are configured for the eNB 104. UE 110 initiates ProSe direct communication (discovery or data communication) at 210. At 212, the UE 110 sends a direct communication message, which may include user or control data. For example, the direct communication message may include application layer data for direct communication between the UE 110 and the UE 112.

In an embodiment of the second case, the UE may be configured to enable proximity services while the UE is in the RRC connection mode on the first cell. For example, the UE may be connected to the serving cell at f1 and may be interested in supporting ProSe at f2. Similar to the RRC idle mode situation discussed above, the UE may support ProSe when the UE receives the SIB 18 and a Mode 2 or Type 1 Tx resource pool is configured. For example, side link direct communication may be performed while the UE is in a RRC idle mode or while in a non-PCell cell in an RRC connected mode. As another example, the lower layers may be configured to transmit side link control information in resources represented by cells other than PCell.

In one embodiment, if the UE receives the ProSe SIB and the eNB corresponding to the cell on f2 indicates that the UE should enter the RRC connection mode, then the UE determines whether the UE wishes to support ProSe on f2, Information can be transmitted to the cell on f1. When the serving eNB on f1 receives the UE ancillary information, the eNB may handover the UE from f2 to the cell. The UE ancillary information may include desired target cell information (e.g., physical cell ID or frequency information). Alternatively, if two cells belong to the same eNB, the eNB may allocate f2 cell ProSe resources, in one embodiment, via RRC signaling from cell f1. In one embodiment, the UE may provide a parameter comprising frequencies of interest to be used as the side link direct communication frequency. For example, the UE may set the carrier frequency to be the frequency of interest that is to be used as the side link direct communication frequency.

In one embodiment, when the UE receives the ProSe SIB and the eNB corresponding to the cell on f2 indicates that the UE should enter the RRC connection mode, the UE requests to release the RRC connection for the eNB on f1. Once the UE is in idle mode, the UE performs cell reselection and assigns f2 a higher priority, thereby allowing the UE to select the cell at f2. After cell reselection, the UE initiates an RRC connection setup procedure with the cell at f2.

After reselecting the cell on f2 or handing it over to the cell, the UE may establish an RRC connection mode with the eNB corresponding to the cell on f2. In some situations, there is a possibility that a cell at f2 supporting ProSe will handover the UE to a cell at f1, which does not support ProSe. Which may be undesirable for UEs wishing to use ProSe. In order to avoid handover to cells that do not support ProSe, the serving eNB may need to be notified by the UE as to which frequencies the UE can support for ProSe. In one embodiment, the UE sends a ProSe support or interest indication to the serving cell for each supported band when the UE enables ProSe communication. Note that the UE may also transmit a ProSe interest indication message when performing ProSe communication to avoid network handover to frequencies that do not support ProSe.

For example, the following information may be added to the RRC message when the UE sends a resource allocation request for ProSe communication or discovery or in UE capability information:

proSeCommSupportonServing indicates that the UE can support ProSe communication when the corresponding frequency is a serving frequency within a supported band. proSeCommSupportNon-serving represents the frequency bands in which the UE can support ProSe communication while camping on a supported band. If the UE has a separate Rx / Tx chain and can support ProSe in all supported frequency bands, there can be only one value (BOOLEAN) instead of a list. proSeDisSupportonServing and proSeDisSupportNon-serving represent ProSe support for discovery. The UE may send ProSe support information for all supported bands or may transmit ProSe support information for the band associated with the serving frequency band.

According to one embodiment, FIG. 3 illustrates a call flow for enabling proximity services on a second frequency while UE 110 is in an RRC connected mode on a first frequency. The call flow illustrates exemplary communication between the first eNB 102, the first UE 110, and the second UE 112 of FIG. For example, the first eNB 102 may provide communication services at a first frequency while ProSe is supported on a second frequency channel.

UE 110 receives SIBs from eNB 102 at 302. At 304, the UE 110 camps the first eNB 102 on the first frequency channel f1 and sets the RRC connection mode. At 306, the upper layer configures the UE 110 to transmit or receive ProSe communications on the second frequency channel f2. UE 110 formats and transmits the UE ancillary information indicating that ProSe is supported or enabled by the UE on the second frequency channel f2 at 308. [ the eNB 102 initiates a handover procedure at 310 and transmits a handover command 312 to hand over the UE 110 to the second frequency channel. In response to receiving, decoding, and / or processing the handover command, the UE 110 performs handover to the cell on the second frequency f2 and initiates ProSe direct communication at 314. At 316, the UE 110 formats the direct communication message and transmits it to the UE 112 using the second frequency resource f2.

In one embodiment of the third case, the UE may be configured to enable proximity services in the SCell while the UE is in the RRC connection mode on the PCell. For example, a UE may enable ProSe while a UE is configured with carrier aggregation because a multi-carrier capable UE may also support carrier aggregation. However, depending on the UE capabilities, the UE may or may not simultaneously support carrier aggregation and ProSe.

In one embodiment, the eNB maintains a carrier aggregation configuration trace if the UE has triple Rx chains or supports time domain multiplexing (TDM) on the SCell. In general, there will be no problem with PCSell supporting ProSe. In one embodiment, if the UE supports ProSe on SCell, the eNB will allocate ProSe-related RRC parameters to be used in the SCell, via RRC signaling.

In another embodiment, the eNB reconfigures the UE to abort the carrier aggregation operation if the UE can not support carrier aggregation and proximity services. The eNB may also change the PCell for the UE (e.g., via cell reselection or handover procedures) if the UE desires to support ProSe at the SCell frequency. To know when the eNB will reconfigure or reconfigure, the UE may indicate any limitations of carrier aggregation supported by the UE with respect to ProSe. In one embodiment, the UE represents ProSe support or interest on a per band combination basis. For example, each band combination that supports ProSe in SCell can be included while WAN is supported in PCell. In one embodiment, band combinations are included in the UE ancillary information to be transmitted to the eNB.

For example, the following information may be added to the RRC message when the UE sends, formats, or generates a resource allocation request for ProSe communication or discovery:

proSeCommSupportonServing indicates that the UE can support ProSe communication when the UE is configured with a supported band combination. proSeCommSupportNon-serving represents the frequency bands in which the UE can support ProSe communication when the UE is configured with a supported band combination. If the UE can support ProSe in all supported frequency bands using a separate Rx / Tx chain, there can be only one value (BOOLEAN) instead of a list. proSeDisSupportonServing and proSeDisSupportNon-serving represent ProSe support for discovery. The UE may send ProSe support information for all supported band combinations or only for the band combination associated with the serving frequency bands.

As another example, the following information may be added to the RRC message when the UE indicates ProSe support for ProSe communication or discovery or on a per band combination basis by sending a resource allocation request from the UE capability information:

proSeCommSupportonServing indicates that the UE can support ProSe communication when the UE is configured with a supported band combination. proSeCommSupportNon-serving represents the frequency bands in which the UE can support ProSe communication while the UE is configured with a supported band combination. If the UE can support ProSe in all supported frequency bands using a separate Rx / Tx chain, there can be only one value (BOOLEAN) instead of a list. proSeDisSupportonServing and proSeDisSupportNon-serving represent ProSe support for discovery. Such a structure may be more suitable if the UE can support ProSe in a specific band.

In one embodiment, the UE transmits ProSe support information for all supported band combinations or band combinations associated with serving frequency bands. The UE can determine whether the UE supports ProSe based on its unique capabilities and / or whether the currently detected cell for ProSe constitutes a Mode 2 transmission or a Type 1 resource pool, and thus the UE can perform WAN operations without parallel control of the eNB To run ProSe. The UE may send ProSe support information for the frequency bands that the eNB is requesting to provide only the UE capability.

Some additional exemplary embodiments are also contemplated. In one embodiment, the UE camps the cell at the first frequency and enables proximity service on the cell at the second frequency. In one embodiment, the UE receives proximity-service-related system information on the cell at a second frequency. In one embodiment, the UE receives a transmission resource pool for the RRC idle mode in proximity-service-related system information. In one embodiment, the UE transmits a communication data message or a discovery message directly on the cell at a second frequency with the allocated resource pool in the proximity service system information. In one embodiment, the UE checks that the transmission resource pool for proximity service related system information is absent from the idle mode. In one embodiment, the UE performs cell reselection for a cell at a second frequency when proximity-related service-related system information is absent. In one embodiment, the UE sends an RRC connection request to the cell at the second frequency. In one embodiment, the UE receives system information broadcast at a first frequency comprising a list of current and / or neighbor carrier frequencies providing proximity services. In one embodiment, a UE that is in RRC connected mode and prioritizes ProSe communication of all indicated ProSe frequencies over any of the unicast bearers may be configured to include content in accordance with its UE capability and / or ProSe priority And generates and / or formats ProSe interest indication messages. In one embodiment, the UE submits a ProSe interest indication message to lower layers for transmission to the eNB.

The above examples and cases are given by way of illustration and example only. Any of the teachings provided in the first case, the second case, or the third case is applicable to other cases, at least in some embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a UE 400. FIG. The UE 400 includes a communications component 402, a cell selection component 404, an RRC component 406, an assistance information component 408, and a direct communications component 410. The components 402-410 are illustrated by way of example and may not be included in all embodiments. In some embodiments, only one or a combination of two or more of the components 402-410 may be included in the software, firmware, and / or circuitry of the UE 400. [ In one embodiment, the baseband processor of the UE 400 may include one or any combination of two or more of the components 402-410.

The communication component 402 is configured to communicate with one or more other devices, such as peer UEs, or base stations, such as an eNB or wireless network nodes. In one embodiment, the communication component 402 may identify frequencies for which particular services are available. In one embodiment, the communication component 402 determines that proximity services are supported by a frequency resource that is different from the frequency resource currently being used by the serving cell. For example, UE 400 may camp on a first cell using a first frequency, and proximity services (D2D, direct communication) may be supported on a second frequency resource. In one embodiment, the first and second radio frequency resources are within authorized spectra corresponding to one or more mobile communication networks. For example, both frequency resources may correspond to licensed LTE spectra for the same or different mobile network operators (MNOS).

In one embodiment, the communication component 402 is configured to determine which frequencies support close proximity services based on the SIB received at the serving cell. For example, a serving cell may indicate that proximity services are supported at a different frequency than that used by the serving cell. In one embodiment, the first frequency resource is used by the serving cell, and the proximity services are supported in the second frequency resource. In one embodiment, the communication component 402 determines that proximity services are supported on the second frequency channel based on the SIB signal received from the non-serving cell. For example, UE 400 may listen on non-serving frequencies to receive and decode SIBs. In one embodiment, communication component 402 may determine which frequencies or cells support close proximity services based on the broadcasted system information received from both the serving and non-serving cells.

In one embodiment, communication component 402 is configured to process system information for a RRC idle mode from a second cell on a second frequency resource. For example, the system information may be available for decoding by any devices that are not in RRC connected mode. In one embodiment, the system information may be received, processed, or decoded by the communication component 402 on a frequency that is not the frequency of the current serving cell. In one embodiment, the system information includes proximity service information, such as whether proximity services are supported on particular frequencies.

In one embodiment, communication component 402 is configured to process proximity service information to determine or identify resource pools for proximity services that are allocated by a second cell. For example, the resource pool may represent one or more time and / or frequency resources for D2D discovery or data communication. In one embodiment, any D2D discovery or data communication messages transmitted by the UE 400 may be transmitted within a frequency resource identified by the resource pool. In one embodiment, communication component 402 is configured to process system information to determine that system information does not include a resource pool for proximity services. In one embodiment, communication component 402 may determine that an RRC connection mode with a cell that is not the current serving cell is required for direct communication resource allocation.

The cell selection component 404 is configured to perform cell selection or cell reselection to select a cell to use as a serving cell. In one embodiment, the cell selection component 404 is configured to perform cell selection and camp on the first cell in the first frequency resource. In one embodiment, the term "camping " and" camping on " cells are given as meaning that UE 400 receives control channel communication (such as SIB) from a base station operating in that cell. In one embodiment, the cell selection component 404 may select a serving cell that does not support proximity services. For example, the frequency used by the serving cell may not be available for proximity services. In one embodiment, the cell selection component 404 may perform cell reselection to select different cells operating on a frequency resource that supports proximity services. In one embodiment, the cell selection component 404 may select a new cell in response to receiving, decoding, or processing a handover command from an eNB that controls the serving cell. For example, the cell selection component 404 and / or the communication component 402 may establish an RRC connection mode with the second eNB using a second frequency channel supporting proximity services.

The RRC component 406 is configured to establish an RRC connection with an eNB or other base station that is a controller for a particular cell. In one embodiment, the RRC component 406 is configured to allow the UE 400 to establish an RRC connection mode by sending an RRC connection request to the cell. In one embodiment, the RRC component 406 may set an RRC connection mode with a cell different from the serving cell to receive D2D resource allocation information. For example, if the UE 400 camps on the first cell, the RRC component 406 may request to set the RRC connection mode on the second cell. After setting the RRC connection mode with the second cell, the RRC component 406 may enable proximity services and send one or more D2D discovery or data messages.

Ancillary information component 408 is configured to transmit assistance information to a base station, such as an eNB. For example, the ancillary information component 408 may transmit any of the UE specific information or other ancillary information discussed in the previous first, second, or third case. In one embodiment, the ancillary information component 408 is configured to cause the UE to transmit a message indicating that the UE 400 supports direct communication on one or more specific frequency channels. In one embodiment, the assistance information may include band combination parameters indicating the frequencies at which the UE 400 supports network communication when proximity services are enabled on one or more specific frequency channels. For example, if the UE 400 supports carrier aggregation, the band combination parameters indicate which combinations of frequencies are supported to allow the UE 400 to transmit and / or receive information on different frequencies simultaneously .

The direct communication component 410 is configured to perform D2D discovery, D2D data communication, or other proximity services. In one embodiment, the direct communication component 410 is configured to initiate D2D communication on a frequency resource different than the current serving cell frequency. In one embodiment, the direct communication component 410 is configured to allow the UE 400 to transmit a D2D message at a frequency resource such as a side link frequency resource. The D2D message may include a D2D discovery message or a D2D data communication message. In one embodiment, the direct communication component 410 is configured to initiate a direct communication in response to cell reselection for a cell supporting proximity services and / or in response to decoding a handover command from the eNB.

FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of an eNB 500. As shown in FIG. The eNB 500 includes a communication session component 502, a proximity service component 504, and an ancillary component 506. The components 502-506 are illustrated by way of example and may not be included in all embodiments. In some embodiments, only one or a combination of two or more of the components 502-506 may be included as part of the software, firmware, and / or circuitry of the eNB 500. [

The communication session component 502 is configured to set up and / or manage communication sessions with one or more UEs within one or more cell coverage areas corresponding to the eNB 500. In one embodiment, the communication session component 502 is configured to establish a communication session with the UE at a first frequency. The communication session component 502 may then handover or release a communication session with the first UE to cause the first UE to select a cell for which proximity services are supported (e.g., Different frequencies can be used). In one embodiment, the communication session component 502 is operable at the frequency at which the first UE performs cell reselection to transmit a handover command or release an RRC connection with the first UE to support proximity services, or The first UE may select a base station supporting proximity services. In one embodiment, the communication session component 502 sends a first UE in response to receiving an indication from the first UE that it supports proximity services at a frequency different than the current serving cell corresponding to the eNB 500 You can override or release it.

The proximity service component 504 is configured to provide information about frequencies or cells that support proximity services. In one embodiment, the proximity service component 504 provides an indication to the first UE that proximity services are not supported at the first frequency served by the eNB. For example, the first frequency may correspond to the frequency at which the UE establishes an RRC connection. In one embodiment, proximity service component 504 provides an indication of one or more frequencies supporting proximity services to a first UE. For example, proximity service component 504 may indicate that proximity services are supported at a second frequency, rather than being supported at a first frequency. The second frequency may correspond to a frequency corresponding to a different cell of the same or a different eNB, and may correspond to a frequency that is outside the network coverage for the UE. In one embodiment, indications as to which frequencies support or do not support proximity services may be included in the same message. The message may include an RRC Connection Mode message or may include a broadcast message such as an SIB.

Ancillary component 506 receives, processes, or decodes assistance information from the UE. In one embodiment, the ancillary component 506 is configured to determine that the UE supports proximity services on a particular frequency based on a message received from the first UE indicating one or more frequency resources for which the UE supports proximity services . In one embodiment, the ancillary component 506 receives supplemental information including band combination parameters indicating frequencies for which network communication is supported while proximity services are enabled on one or more specific frequencies. Ancillary component 506 may determine the capabilities or needs of a particular UE based on information received from that particular UE. The communication session component 502 and the proximity service component 504 may provide services based on the capabilities or needs of the UE as determined by the supplemental component.

6 is a schematic flow diagram illustrating a method 600 for enabling proximity services. In one embodiment, the method 600 is performed by a wireless communication device, such as the UE 400 of FIG.

The method 600 begins and the cell selection component 404 performs cell selection (or re-selection) (602) and camps the first cell within the first frequency resource. The communication component 402 determines 604 that proximity services are supported in the second frequency resource. In one embodiment, the first and second radio frequency resources are within authorized spectra corresponding to one or more mobile communication networks, such as networks providing LTE communication services. The direct communication component 410 initiates the D2D communication on the second frequency resource (606). The direct communication component 410 may also transmit the D2D message at the second frequency resource. The D2D message includes one of a D2D discovery message and a D2D communication message.

7 is a schematic flow diagram illustrating a method 700 for providing proximity-service related information to a UE. In one embodiment, the method 700 is performed by a base station, such as the eNB 500 of FIG.

The method 700 begins and the communication session component 502 causes the eNB 500 to establish a communication session at the first frequency with the UE (702). The proximity service component 504 provides 704 an indication to the UE that proximity services are not supported at the first frequency and further provides 706 an indication of one or more frequencies supporting proximity services to the UE, . In one embodiment, the eNB 500 may also receive supplementary information from the UE indicating that the UE supports proximity services at a second frequency. the eNB 500 may release the connection with the UE or may handover the UE to the cell using the second frequency.

FIG. 8 is a schematic flow diagram illustrating a method 800 for enabling proximity services. In one embodiment, the method 800 is performed by a wireless communication device, such as the UE 400 of FIG.

The method 800 begins and the RRC component 406 establishes 802 an RRC communication session to place the UE in the RRC connection mode with the first eNB using the first frequency channel. The ancillary information component 408 formats (804) and / or encodes the message including the ancillary information to be transmitted to the first eNB by the UE. In one embodiment, the assistance information indicates that the UE supports direct communication on the second frequency channel. The cell selection component 404 sets the RRC connection mode with the second eNB using the second frequency channel (806). In one embodiment, in response to decoding a handover command from a first eNB, or in response to selecting a second eNB by performing a cell reselection, the cell selection component 404 performs an RRC connection with the second eNB Mode is set (806). In one embodiment, the first eNB and the second eNB include the same eNB serving different cells using different frequencies. The direct communication component 410 initiates a direct communication on the second frequency channel (808). For example, the direct communication component 410 may initiate a direct communication (808) in response to decoding the handover command or in response to selecting a second eNB by performing a cell reselection. In one embodiment, the direct communication component 410 may initiate direct communication (808) by sending a D2D discovery or D2D data communication message.

9 is an illustration of a mobile device, such as a UE, a mobile station (MS), a mobile wireless device, a mobile communication device, a tablet, a handset, or another type of wireless communication device. The mobile device may be a base station (BS), an eNB, a baseband unit (BBU), a remote radio head (RRH), a remote radio equipment (RRE), a relay station (RS), a radio equipment (RE) And one or more antennas configured to communicate with a transmitting station, such as a wide area network (WWAN) access point. The mobile device may be configured to communicate using at least one wireless communication standard, including 3GPP LTE, WiMAX, High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The mobile device may communicate using separate antennas for each wireless communication standard or shared antennas for multiple wireless communication standards. The mobile device may communicate in a wireless local area network (WLAN), a wireless personal area network (WPAN), and / or a WWAN.

Figure 9 also provides an example of a microphone and one or more speakers that can be used for audio input and output from a mobile device. The display screen may be another type of display screen, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen or an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display. The display screen may be configured as a touch screen. The touch screen may be capacitive, resistive, or another type of touch screen technology. An application processor and a graphics processor may be coupled to the internal memory to provide processing and display capabilities. A non-volatile memory port may also be used to provide data input / output options to the user. A non-volatile memory port may also be used to extend the memory capabilities of the mobile device. The keyboard may be integrated with the mobile device or wirelessly connected to the mobile device to provide additional user input. The virtual keyboard can also be provided using a touch screen. A screen and / or input device, such as a keyboard or touch screen, may provide a user input interface for the user to interact with the mobile device.

Examples

The following examples relate to additional embodiments.

Example 1 is a method for enabling proximity services on the UE. The method includes performing cell selection or reselection and camping on a first cell at a first frequency, wherein the first cell is a serving cell. The method includes determining that proximity services are supported at a second frequency. The method includes initiating device-to-device communication on a second frequency and transmitting the device-to-device message at a second frequency using the transceiver, wherein the device- Discovery message and a device-to-device communication message.

In Example 2, the method of Example 1 further comprises processing system information for a RRC idle mode from a second cell on a second frequency, the system information including proximity service information.

In Example 3, processing proximity service information in Example 2 includes processing proximity service information to determine a resource pool for proximity services that are allocated by a second cell, wherein the device- The message is transmitted at the second frequency.

In Example 4, processing the system information in Example 4 includes processing the system information to determine that the system information does not include a resource pool for proximity services.

In Example 5, the method of Example 4 further comprises performing cell selection or reselection in frequency to select a second cell operating on a second frequency.

In Example 6, the method of Example 5 further comprises sending an RRC connection request to the second cell, wherein the device-to-device message is transmitted in response to the RRC connection request.

In Example 7, the method of any of Examples 1-6 further comprises identifying one or more carrier frequencies that support proximity services based on broadcast system information received from a first cell at a first frequency, The one or more carrier frequencies include a second frequency.

In Example 8, the method of any of Examples 1-7 further comprises sending a message indicating that the UE is interested in supporting proximity services on the second frequency.

Example 9 is a method in an eNB, comprising establishing a communication session at a first frequency with a first UE. The method includes providing an indication from the eNB to the first UE that the proximity services are not supported at the first frequency. The method includes providing an indication of one or more frequencies supporting proximity services to a first UE, wherein the one or more frequencies include a second frequency.

In Example 10, the method of Example 9 transmits a message at a first frequency from the eNB that includes at least one of an indication that proximity services are not supported at a first frequency and an indication of one or more frequencies that support proximity services , And the message includes at least one of an RRC message and a SIB message.

In Example 11, the method of any of Examples 9-10 further comprises a step in which, based on a message received from a first UE indicating a one or more frequency resources for which the UE supports proximity services, And the one or more frequency resources include a second frequency.

In Example 12, the message received from the first UE of any of Examples 10-11 further includes band combination parameters indicating frequencies for which network communication is supported while proximity services are enabled on the second frequency.

In Example 13, the method of any of Examples 9-12 further comprises: transmitting a handover command to hand over the first UE to a cell operating at a second frequency; And releasing the RRC connection with the first UE such that the first UE performs cell reselection to select a base station operating at a second frequency.

Example 14 is a method comprising establishing an RRC communication session and using the first frequency to place the UE in an RRC connection mode with the first eNB. The method includes formatting a message comprising aiding information for the UE to transmit to the first eNB, the assistance information indicating that the UE desires to enable direct communication on the second frequency. The method includes initiating a direct communication on a second frequency in response to a handover to a second eNB using a second frequency.

In Example 15, the method of Example 14 further comprises determining that proximity services are supported on the second frequency channel based on a System Information Block (SIB) signal received from a second eNB operating at a second frequency.

In Example 16, the method of any of Examples 14-15 includes determining that the RRC connection mode with the second eNB is required for direct communication resource allocation.

In Example 17, the method of any of Examples 14-16 includes determining that proximity services are supported in a second radio frequency resource based on a SIB signal received from a first eNB at a first radio frequency resource, wherein the SIB The signal indicates one or more frequency resources supporting proximity services, and the one or more frequency resources include a second frequency.

Example 18 is a processor, such as a baseband processor, including logic for performing the method and implementing the device as in any of Examples 1-8 and 14-17.

Example 19 is a device such as a UE, including means for performing the method and implementing the device as in any of Examples 1-8 and 14-18.

Example 19 is a device or system, such as an eNB, that includes means for performing the method and implementing the device as in any of Examples 8-13.

Example 20, when executed, is a machine-readable storage containing machine-readable instructions for implementing the method and implementing the method as in any of Examples 1-19.

The various techniques or specific aspects or portions thereof may be implemented in the form of program code (e.g., program code) embedded in tangible media, such as a floppy diskette, CD-ROM, hard drive, non-volatile computer-readable storage medium, or any other machine- That is, instructions), wherein when the program code is loaded into and executed by a machine such as a computer, the machine becomes an apparatus for performing various techniques. In the case of program code execution on programmable computers, a computing device may include a processor, a storage medium readable by a processor (including volatile and non-volatile memory and / or storage elements), at least one input device, Output device. The volatile and nonvolatile memory and / or storage elements may be RAM, EPROM, flash drive, optical drive, magnetic hard drive, or any other medium for storing electronic data. The eNB (or other base station) and the UE (or other mobile station) may also include a transceiver component, a counter component, a processing component, and / or a clock component or a timer component. One or more programs that may implement or utilize the various techniques described herein may use an application programming interface (API), reusable controls, and the like. These programs may be implemented in a high-level procedural or object-oriented programming language to communicate with a computer system. However, the program (s) may be implemented in assembly or machine language, if desired. In any case, the language may be a compiled or translated language and may be combined with hardware implementations.

It is to be understood that many of the functional units described in this specification may be implemented as one or more components, which are terms used to more particularly emphasize their implementation independence. For example, the component may be implemented as a hardware circuit that includes custom large scale integration (VLSI) circuits or gate arrays, logic chips, off-the-shelf semiconductors such as transistors, or other discrete components. have. The component may also be implemented as programmable hardware devices such as field programmable gate arrays, programmable array logic, programmable logic devices, and the like.

The components may also be implemented in software for execution by various types of processors. The identified components of executable code may include, for example, one or more physical or logical blocks of computer instructions, for example, organized as an object, a procedure, or a function. Nevertheless, the executables of the identified components do not need to be physically located together, but when logically linked together, they may be disparate to other components that contain components and are stored in different locations to achieve the stated purpose for the component ) Commands.

In practice, a component of executable code may be a single instruction, or many instructions, and may even be distributed across several memory devices, between different programs, and across several different code segments. Similarly, operational data may be identified within components and illustrated herein, implemented in any suitable form, and organized in any suitable type of data structure. The operational data may be collected as a single data set, or may be distributed across different locations, including spanning different storage devices, and may exist only as electronic signals on the system or network, at least in part. The components may be passive or active, including agents that are operable to perform the desired functions.

Reference throughout this specification to "exemplary " means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the examples is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Thus, the appearances of the phrase "in the examples " in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.

As used herein, a plurality of items, structural elements, composition elements, and / or materials may conveniently be presented in a common list. However, such lists must be interpreted as if each member of the list is individually identified as a separate and unique member. Thus, no individual member of such a list should be construed as being a de facto equivalent of any other member of the same list, based on its representation in the common group without the opposite signs. In addition, various embodiments and examples of the present invention may be referred to herein with alternatives to their various components. It is to be understood that such embodiments, examples, and alternatives are not to be construed as being actual equivalents of one another, but rather as separate and autonomous representations of the present invention.

While the foregoing is described in some detail for purposes of clarity, it will be apparent that certain changes and modifications may be made without departing from the principles thereof. It should be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing both the processes and devices described herein. Accordingly, the embodiments are to be considered as illustrative rather than restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein, but may be modified within the scope and equivalents of the appended claims.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that many modifications may be made to the details of the embodiments described above without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined only by the following claims.

Claims (21)

A user equipment (UE)
Performing cell selection or reselection, camping on a first cell at a first frequency, the first cell being a serving cell;
Determine that proximity services are supported at a second frequency; And
To initiate a device-to-device communication on the second frequency and to transmit a device-to-device message at the second frequency using a transceiver,
Wherein the device-to-device message comprises one of a device-to-device discovery message and a device-to-device communication message. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the UE is further configured to process system information for a radio resource control (RRC) idle mode from a second cell on the second frequency, A UE comprising information. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the UE is configured to process the proximity service information to determine a resource pool for proximity services allocated by the second cell, wherein the device-to-device message Is transmitted at the second frequency. 3. The UE of claim 2, wherein the UE is further configured to cause the UE to process the system information to determine that the system information does not include a resource pool for proximity services. 5. The UE of claim 4, wherein the UE is further configured to perform an intra-frequency cell selection or reselection to select a second cell operating on the second frequency. 6. The UE of claim 5, wherein the UE is further configured to send an RRC connection request to the second cell, wherein the device-to-device message is transmitted in response to the RRC connection request. 7. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the UE is configured to identify one or more carrier frequencies supporting proximity services based on broadcast system information received from the first cell at the first frequency Wherein the one or more carrier frequencies comprise the second frequency. 7. The UE according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the UE is further configured to cause the UE to transmit a message indicating that the UE is interested in supporting proximity services on the second frequency. 9. The UE of claim 8, wherein the indication comprises frequency information for the second frequency. An evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) Node B (eNB)
One or more processors; And
A computer readable medium in communication with the one or more processors,
Wherein the computer readable medium, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the eNB to:
Establishing a communication session with a first user equipment (UE) at a first frequency;
Providing an indication to the first UE that proximity services are not supported at the first frequency; And
To provide an indication of one or more frequencies supporting proximity services to the first UE
Wherein the one or more frequencies comprise a second frequency. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the executable instructions further cause the eNB to send a message comprising at least one of an indication that proximity services are not supported at the first frequency and an indication of the one or more frequencies that support proximity services To transmit at the first frequency. 12. The eNB of claim 11, wherein the message comprises a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message. 12. The eNB of claim 11, wherein the message comprises a system information block (SIB) message. 14. A method according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the executable instructions further comprise: the eNB sending a message received from the first UE indicating the one or more frequency resources for which the UE supports proximity services To determine that the first UE supports proximity services on the second frequency, and wherein the one or more frequency resources comprise the second frequency. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the message received from the first UE further comprises band combination parameters indicating frequencies for which network communication is supported while proximity services are enabled on the second frequency, . 14. The eNB according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the executable instructions further cause the eNB to send a handover command to handover the first UE to a cell operating at the second frequency. 14. A method according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the executable instructions further cause the eNB to release an RRC connection with the first UE such that the first UE performs cell reselection, An eNB that allows selection of a base station operating at a frequency. A baseband processor,
Configured to establish an RRC communication session with a user equipment (UE) in a radio resource control (RRC) connection mode with a first evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) Node B (eNB) using a first frequency RRC component;
A supplemental information component configured to format a message including the supplementary information to be transmitted to the first eNB by the UE, the supplementary information indicating that the UE desires to enable direct communication on the second frequency, ; And
And to initiate a direct communication on the second frequency in response to handover to the second eNB using the second frequency,
≪ / RTI > 19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a communications component configured to determine that proximity services are supported on a second frequency channel based on a System Information Block (SIB) signal received from a second eNB operating at the second frequency Baseband processor. 20. The baseband processor of claim 18 or 19, further comprising a communication component configured to determine that an RRC connection mode with the second eNB is required for direct communication resource allocation. 20. The method of claim 18 or 19, further comprising configuring a proximity services based on a system information block (SIB) signal received from the first eNB within the first radio frequency resource to determine that proximity services are supported in the second radio frequency resource Wherein the SIB signal represents one or more frequency resources that support proximity services, and wherein the one or more frequency resources comprise the second frequency.

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